Chapter 26

"What the-?"

He looked at her, stunned for a moment. Had she just used his words to voice out her surprise? It made him smirk. All of it. Her wide, shocked eyes, her O-shaped mouth open in disbelief, her way of saying 'what-the'. Everything.

Well, he told himself. Let's see how Miss Gupta reacts to this.

***

Damn!

Khushi's jaw dropped when she saw the woman he was pointing. She was incredibly beautiful, she had this aristocratic essence about her, just like him. There was something which made Khushi respect and like her at once. The lady walked towards them, smiling pleasantly though there seemed to be a question mark in her eyes. She wore a carnation pink lace saree and when Khushi looked closely, she did recognise the suitcase she and Arnav had chosen that day at Harrods.

The woman stopped before them, and in a jiffy, Arnav was standing by her side, swooping down to kiss her cheek before he took charge of the trolley.

"Hey," he said cheerfully, bending to kiss the other cheek. "How are you?"

She smiled. "Hum theek hain. Aap?" (I'm fine and you?)

"I'm fine. And, uhh... this is-"

The lady shook her head with a gentle laughter. "Khushi?"

Khushi's eyes widened as she looked at the woman first, then at a grinning Arnav. He had told the woman about her? That was... unexpected... kind of... Khushi unconsciously folded her hands together.

"Namaste," she stuttered.

"Uhh, actually..." Arnav added. "She's the one who helped me choose your suitcase."

The lady smiled at her. "Hum jaante hain." (I know.)

"And, Khushi," he continued with a devilish smirk. "This is my girlfriend."

She flinched as the woman reached up to smack his head. "Toh Chhote ne aapse yeh kaha? Badmaash ladka! Hum Devyaani Singh Raizada hain, Chhote ki Dadi, girlfriend nahin!" (So this is what Chhote told you? Devil! I'm Devyani Singh Raizada, Chhote's grandmother, not girlfriend!)

***

"To aap bhi Lucknow ki hain?" (So you are from Lucknow too?)

Khushi smiled shyly at Arnav's Dadi and nodded. Arnav came in with three mugs of piping hot tea and handed one to each of them. He tried to smile at Khushi but she ignored him just as she had done since they had left the airport. Dadi saw that and decided she should leave the pair alone to sort out their differences. As it was, she already liked the girl and if her grandson would ever dare to marry her, she would be very happy. They did make a beautiful pair.

"Chhote?" Devyani said gently. "Hum thak gaye hain, aap humein humaare kamre tak lejaaiye." (...I'm tired, show me my room.)

Khushi stood up hastily. "Haan, humein bhi chalna chaahiye. Namaste, Dadiji." She turned towards the door but Dadi placed her hand on her shoulder to stop her. (Yeah, I should leave too.)

"Khushi Bitiya, aap rukiye, Chhote aapko ghar chhod denge." (Khushi, you wait, Chhote will drop you home.)

Arnav stared at his grandmother for a while, feeling Khushi's surprised glare on him. For the first time in his life, Arnav Singh Raizada stammered.

"Uhh... yeah... o-okay..."

***

"Chhote?" Dadi stopped by the door of her room to look at her grandson. "Aap inse pyaar karte hain na?" (You love her right?)

His eyes grew wide. "What? No!"

Devyani laughed. "Aap maante nahin, par aapki aakhon mein saaf dikhta hai." (Maybe you don't accept it, but it's clear in your eyes.)

Her doubts were confirmed when she saw him blush a slight shade darker while his eyes went towards the living room where they had left Khushi.

"Dadi... You think..."

She cupped his cheek affectionately. "Chhote, hum jaante hain, aap shaadi mein vishvaas nahin karte... Magar yaad rakhiye, har aurat aapki ma jaisi nahin hai... Aap jitna samay lena chaahein lijye, par humein pata hai, aapki pasand laakhon mein ek hai. Isse haath se jaane mat dijye."(Chhote, I know you don't believe in marriage... But remember, every woman is not necessarily like your mother... Take however much time you need, but I know that your choice is the best. Don't ever let go of her.)

***

"You don't need to!" she hushed as soon as he was back.

Arnav raised his eyebrows at her. "Don't need to what?"

"Drop me home," Khushi rolled her eyes and went on washing the used mugs.

He smiled to himself. Inside, though his heart was somersaulting like mad, he felt at peace. He drank in the image she projected as she stood in his kitchen, washing up. Especially as she wore that bright red saree. It did something to him.

He could definitely get used to that. Get used to a woman in his house, somebody to love and live with. But, it hit him, he didn't just want any woman, he wanted this one in particular.

Khushi Kumaari Gupta. His eighth wonder of the world...

And he had sensed his Dadi like her too. His parents had met her, and they also liked her. Not only she was now related to Ulka, but they were good friends. Just then she wiped her hands grimly and went for the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked, grabbing her wrist as she passed in front of him.

Her eyes widened and she glanced at the corridor where Dadi's room was. "Leave me!"

He just smirked at her and pulled her closer. "Are you upset with me? Because I lied to you about the girlfriend thing?"

Khushi clenched her jaws and looked away. "Should I be?"

"Maybe," he whispered mischievously. "I think you were just getting jealous."

She looked at him and gave a snort of laughter, sarcasm dripping from the mere sound of it. "Jealous? Me? Are you out of your mind?"

"So you wouldn't get jealous if I had a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Okay, well, I need one," he shrugged. "This one is too old for me, right?"

"Why are you telling me?" she snapped in a chipped tone, though she would not admit she was feeling a little fiery monster growing up her stomach.

"Help me find one?" he suggested teasingly, while his hand traced patterns on her bare waist.

Khushi stifled a gasp when his burning hot hand came in contact with her chilled skin. "Why don't you find one yourself?"

"Hmm," he grinned suggestively and she bit her lip hard, nervous. "I found one, the perfect one, I think. But she's a bit angry with me. I hoped you'd help me win her over?"

She stilled. "What do you mean?" she managed to squeak.

Arnav rolled his eyes. "You still don't understand?"

Her eyes were innocent and wide, he couldn't help but fall deeper for her. Khushi shook her head naively. He just sighed, his shoulders hunching.

"I'm asking you to be my girlfriend, Khushi."